Discarded articles, such as plastic bags, rugs, and articles made from materials such as vulcanized rubber, EVA foam, polyethylene foam, or thermosetting resin materials, are not easily disposed of. Discarded articles made of these materials are generally disposed of by incineration or dumping in a landfill. Landfills can pollute ground water and soil, and incineration results in generation of ashes, which must be disposed of properly.
The most environmentally friendly way to dispose of discarded articles is to recycle the discarded articles. There are various patented methods for recycling discarded articles. However, these conventional methods are generally not completely satisfactory, in that they are suitable for recycling only certain types of solid articles, and they are not cost-effective. Moreover, they are incapable of totally disposing of discarded articles.